The dream
by Robmeister2010
Summary: Leonard has to leave for a couple of days at the worst possible time. Sheldon has experienced a dream which has left him unable to sleep for the past four days...it's up to Penny to try to stop the troubled physicist from breaking down completely...
1. Chapter 1

Leonard tapped softly on the door and Penny swung it open.

"Hi sweetie, haven't seen you guys all week! Oh nice bag, you going somewhere?" she smiled. She observed Leonard looking concerned.

"Hi Penny. I was wondering if I could ask you a favour?" he asked.

"Sure, what's up?" smiled Penny.

"I've got a chance to work with a colleague in their lab…it's a really good opportunity to get some real progress made in the work I'm doing, but it involves me going away for a couple of days." Said Leonard.

"Oh cool, so what can I help with?" asked Penny.

"I'm worried about Sheldon, do you think you could pop your head in now and again while I'm gone?" asked Leonard. Penny stopped smiling.

"Is he OK?" she asked, casting a concerned glance at the door opposite them.

"I'm not too sure what's wrong. He said he'd experienced a dream, and that he can't bring himself to go back to sleep incase the dream comes back. He hasn't slept for four days now." Said Leonard.

"He must be exhausted? What was the dream about?" asked Penny.

"He wouldn't tell me. It's obviously something serious, but four days without sleep is not good for him, I hate to leave him but this is the only chance I'll get to do this work." Said Leonard.

"It's fine, you go and do your work. I'll see if he's OK." Said Penny. Leonard smiled appreciatively.

"Thankyou Penny. I'll see you in a couple of days, I'll have my cellphone with me if you need to call." Said Leonard. Penny gave him a friendly goodbye hug and Leonard made his way down the stairs. Penny sighed softly and made her way across the hall. She opened the door a fraction, not quite sure what to expect from a crazy physicist who hasn't slept for four days.

"Sheldon?" she whispered observing him eating cereal on the couch. Sheldon startled, and dropped his cereal on the floor before rubbing his face with his hand.

"Sorry sweetie, I didn't mean to scare you. Leonard asked me to pop over and see if you were OK…he's worried about you." Said Penny. Sheldon didn't respond. Penny stepped in and closed the door.

"He says you've not been sleeping." Said Penny. There was a long pause.

"Are you OK sweetie? What's wrong?" she asked advancing towards him. As she sat in her spot right next to his, it was as if he wasn't aware of her appearance, apart from dropping his cereal when he first heard her voice.

"Sheldon?" she whispered after a further pause. She placed her hand on his forearm, and his head turned towards her.

"Sweetie…" she whispered in shock. Sheldon looked exhausted, his eyes had huge bags under them. It looked as if his genius brain was all that was keeping the rest of his exhausted body going.

"Leonard mentioned a dream?" she asked. Sheldon glanced down at the floor.

"Sheldon, talk to me…" she whispered. Sheldon lifted the bowl the right way up, clawing a finger against the contents that were sinking into the carpet.

"Sheldon, you're scaring me!" she whispered. It was as if he didn't know she was there.

"Sheldon, whatever this dream was, you can talk to me. Maybe I can help?" she suggested. Sheldon acknowledged her for the first time by shaking his head, a sad look appearing on his face.

"What is it sweetie? Come on, tell me…" she urged. He glanced up at her, his eyes glazed over as if he wasn't really focusing on her or anything in particular.

"Sweetie, you look ill. You need to sleep. Please tell me what's wrong so I can make you feel better?" begged Penny. Sheldon slid his hand under the bowl and tried to lift it, but it slipped from his grasp and landed back on the floor.

"Sheldon, please talk to me, you're really scaring me!" she whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes. There was another long pause. Penny kept focused on his face, looking for any sign of what may be causing him such terrible distress.


	2. You are the dream

**A/N stock2007 yes it is unusual for Sheldon to shut up, this only goes to show just how badly he has been affected by the dream. Jislane35, for Sheldon it IS a nightmare…one that even his brilliant mind can't comprehend. Anon13, thank you! Lol ses1515, thanks, I hope it's going to be well received.**

Penny wiped tears from her eyes. Finally building up the courage, she shifted herself onto Sheldons lap and monitored the reaction.

"Sheldon, I'm touching you and you're not flinching." She whispered. Sheldon focused on her now, his eyes wide with alarm.

"Atlast some sign of sentient activity in that brain of yours." Whispered Penny allowing herself a small smile. The fact that she wasn't currently sprawled on the floor and being lectured about germs meant that he was by no means back to his normal self though. She carefully stroked her hand across the side of his face.

"Talk to me." She whispered. The more contact she made, the more Sheldon seemed to focus.

"Please get off." He finally stuttered.

"Only when you tell me what's wrong. I'm worried about you Sheldon. Talk to me. You can trust me." She whispered.

"I can't. Not about this." He whispered.

"The dream? Why can't you talk to me about the dream?" she asked. Sheldon shook his head, the sad look returning.

"Sheldon…" she sighed. Finally she wrapped her arms around his neck, using her hands to rest his head against her neck.

"I can't do this…" whispered Sheldon, and Penny soon found herself discarded across the couch. Sheldon leapt to his feet and paced forward, grabbing a marker he started to scribble across the whiteboard. Penny observed him for a moment.

"Sheldon, is it something I've done?" she asked softly. Sheldon didn't respond.

"Is it something I've said?" she asked. Sheldon let out a sigh and continued with his random scribbling of an equation.

"If you can't tell me can you atleast write it?" she asked hopefully. There was a long pause.

"You think you can work it out?" he asked softly, not looking at her.

"Just give me some clue if you feel you can't tell me. I just have to know what's wrong with you so I can make you feel better. Please Sheldon, I'm begging you!" she said starting to get tears in her eyes again. After another pause, Sheldon moved to the whiteboard next to him, and scribbled a message. He dropped the marker on the floor and paced to his room without a word. Penny stood up and moved to the whiteboard to read what he'd written.

_You are the dream!_

"What does that mean?" she whispered to herself. She turned and looked down the hall. She wished he could tell her what was wrong, atleast then she would know what she was dealing with and how to make it better. She feared for his sanity if this kept up. Noone could last forever without sleep without suffering some sort of delusion, and it was up to her to stop Sheldon from destroying himself from the inside.

"You are the dream." She whispered to herself. She exited the apartment and went back to hers, reciting the message over and over, hoping to make some sense of it. She scribbled it down on a piece of paper. She thought about the meaning of dreams, and researched it on the internet. It felt hopeless but somehow she had to work it out. She had to save him from whatever torment he was going through.

"What have I done Sheldon?" she whispered to herself. She knew it had to be something she had done, that was why he couldn't talk to her. She thought for a moment. Leonard had gone away. Raj would be next to useless in anything important. Howard would just offer a selection of innuendos. Bernadette and Amy wouldn't understand. She was all he had. She was determined to figure it out. She hurried back across the hall and swung the door open. Sheldon was now sitting on the kitchen counter, gazing at the floor as his legs swung limply against the side of the island.

"You are the dream. What does it mean Sheldon?" she begged him to tell her. Again there was no response. She could see from the look on his face that he was fading fast. His genius mind was failing. He couldn't last much longer. She had to do something, and do it quick. She glanced at the whiteboard, he had written something else.

_You are the dream!  
The dream is you!_

She thought hard but still couldn't understand it. She was getting desperate now. She advanced towards him. She cupped his face in her hands, tilting his head up to face her.

"Sheldon, I don't get it. What is it you're trying to tell me?" she begged. Sheldon's eyes were glazed over. Penny didn't even know if he knew she was there. It was like his brain had malfunctioned, given in to the sleep deprivation and left him a shell of his normal self. Penny started to cry.

"Sheldon please!" she begged. Her hands dropped by her side. Sheldon's head dropped and he resumed looking at the floor. Penny ran out of the apartment, across the hall and into her own. Running into her bedroom she collapsed on the bed and sobbed. She wanted more than anything to help him. She just didn't know how.


	3. The solution possibility

As the tears subsided, Penny sat back in front of her laptop. She had to find something to help her. She typed you are the dream the dream is you into Google, hoping it might be some quote. Her heart sank when none of the search results made any sense. This whole thing didn't make sense. She was sat there lost, confused, and helpless. Meanwhile a man clearly being tortured by his own mind was slowly deteriorating just across the hall. She slammed the laptop lid shut. She had to try again. Before it was too late. She made her way over and swung open the door. Sheldon was now sitting on the coffee table staring straight ahead at the whiteboard. She noticed he had written again.

_You are the dream!_

_The dream is you!_

_Help!_

"I'm trying Sheldon. I promise." She whispered. She sat next to him on the coffee table, gazing at his blank face.

"Sheldon?" she whispered. She had to engage him. It was her only hope. Reaching out she grabbed his hand, holding it in her own she brought it up to her lips, kissing the back of his hand softly.

"Sheldon?" she whispered again. There was no response. His hand lay limp in hers. He should have been throwing her hand off and reaching for the anti bacterial wipes. Right now she didn't know if he was even aware she was in the room.

"Sheldon, I need another clue. Please help me." She whispered. Suddenly his hand slipped from hers, he got wearily to his feet, staring straight ahead all the time. This time Penny got to her feet, following him to the whiteboard. Almost unconsciously Sheldon reached for the marker.

_Leave me Penny. I'm a lost cause._

Penny shook her head, there was no way she was going to leave him. She needed to find out what the dream was, to help him process it, to give him the sweet release of sleep.

"Sheldon, help me. The dream Sheldon. I don't know if you can hear me, but the dream. I need to know what the dream is." Said Penny. Sheldon stumbled slightly. Penny started to tear up again. She knew he wouldn't be able to survive much longer, there was a serious risk to his health.

"Sheldon, focus on the dream." She urged. Sheldon leaned against the whiteboard, his energy was running out fast. Penny knew that if he collapsed and ended up in hospital she would have failed him. She had to help him, and fast. She reached out, supporting his weight. He slumped against her motionless as he came to rest. Penny adjusted herself to better support him. She had to keep his brain active, and since physical contact concerned him so much, she would have to take drastic action.

"Sheldon?" She struggled to turn him so that his head faced hers. The glazed expression in his eyes broke her heart, and she had to keep the tears from her eyes. Slowly she brushed her lips against his, leaning back to see if any reaction was present. She kissed him again, deeper this time. She leaned back, and his eyes were no longer glazed. It was as if he was drawing energy from her. He stumbled back from her, now suddenly able to stand unsupported. He grabbed the marker again.

_You are the dream!_

Penny started to cry again.

"Sheldon, I don't know what that means!" she sobbed. She cupped his face in her hands.

"Tell me Sheldon. You can do it." She whispered. She kissed him again, hoping, preying, that his brain would remain active, and help her solve the problem that was causing his distress before he went completely insane. She could hear the marker on the whiteboard, and turned her head.

_You're kissing me._

"Yes Sheldon. I have to keep your mind active." She whispered. He started to write again.

_Penny, I'm scared I'll lose you._

Penny looked directly at him. She shook her head.

"Sheldon, I'm here. I'm not leaving." She whispered. She glanced up again at his face. His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing was faint, as if slowly his body was disintegrating. As great as his brain was, she knew it was that which was causing this issue. She needed to find out what it was, before the very thing he held most dear proved to be his Achilles heal. Suddenly the marker wrote on the board. She turned her head and watched him write.

_You are the dream!_

Penny glanced back at him. Suddenly, she froze. It was a long shot, but she put everything he had written together, and she thought she had a solution. At the very least, a plausible possibility.

"Sheldon? Sheldon I need you to keep awake for me. I think I've worked it out!" she whispered.


	4. The solution confirmed

Sheldon stepped backwards until he reached the couch, and sank back down into it. His head tilted in her direction. Penny took the silence to mean he was waiting for her to elaborate, although the tiredness betrayed any kind of normal look on his face. Penny hurried over and sat next to him.

"You are the dream…you're talking to me. You're talking directly at me?" she asked hopefully. Sheldon let out a small sigh.

"The dream is me…your dream was about me. Sheldon, it's your fear of emotions, that's what's caused this! Sheldon am I right, please tell me I'm right?" she begged. Sheldon slightly nodded.

"Sheldon! My god Sheldon!" she whispered. She gazed into his eyes, oh how she wish he could close them and sleep. Without another word Penny slid over, sliding onto his lap and straddling his legs before easing her arms around her neck.

"You have feelings for me?" she whispered. Sheldon was too tired to respond.

"Sheldon, you don't have to be scared. You're not going to lose me. God, I can't believe you've taken this so hard. Sheldon, your feelings are OK. Go to sleep Sheldon. I'm right here with you." She whispered. His head tilted back and his eyes closed. Penny burst into tears, but this time tears of joy. She had solved the problem and now he was able to sleep. Penny slowly kissed his cheek.

"Go to sleep Sheldon." She whispered adjusting herself to rest her head on his chest. It was late that night when Sheldon awoke. He had slumped over on the couch and had a blanket over him.

"Bed time?" he whispered. He glanced his head up. Penny was asleep in the armchair adjacent to him.

"Penny. Penny!" he whispered. Penny stirred, immediately sliding off the chair and crawling to his side.

"Are you OK?" she whispered.

"Please promise you don't hate me." He whispered. Penny gasped.

"Sheldon, why would I hate you?" she asked. Sheldon adjusted himself slightly.

"I know I'm not the kind of person you date. I know you don't share my feelings. I just don't want to lose you from my life. I don't want to have gone through everything, to the point where I felt I was losing my mind, and all I get out of it is the loss of the most important thing to me." Whispered Sheldon. Penny shook her head.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked. She could see he was getting sleepy again, she knew he would be asleep again soon.

"Be quick. Four days without sleep is catching up with me." He whispered doing the best he could to give her a small smile.

"What was it that upset you so much? Was it the dream, your reaction…or what you assumed my reaction would be?" she asked.

"It was a little of everything. I'm not used to experiencing emotions. Then when that dream came it scared me. Suddenly I found myself unable to think of anything else. I've never had mental health issues Penny, but I thought it must be what a breakdown feels like. I could barely breathe, stand, speak…I was a robot." He whispered. He started to get tears in his eyes. Penny wiped them away tenderly with her hands.

"Sheldon, you need to sleep. I want you to listen very closely to me. You understand?" she asked. Sheldon nodded.

"I don't ever want you to go through that again. If you ever have anything that distresses you then I want you to come to me. Even something like this." Said Penny.

"I was scared I would lose you." Whispered Sheldon.

"You won't. I promise. Sheldon, those feelings…those emotions…they are not something to be scared of. They are something to accept. Sheldon, if you could have anything happen from this moment on, what would it be?" she asked.

"I know I wouldn't get that. You deserve someone far better than anyone in Pasadena." He replied honestly.

"Would you want me?" she whispered.

"There is no use to me answering that question. I don't want to scare you away. To make you feel you can't be my friend." Said Sheldon.

"Sheldon, after everything we've been through…after all of this…seeing you on the verge of collapse…all because of your feelings for me. I don't feel that I want to be your friend anymore."


	5. Together

Sheldon dropped his head and started to curl back down onto the couch and closed his eyes.

"I understand. I'm sorry." He whispered. Penny looked confused for a moment, then a look of realisation crossed her face.

"Sweetie, no! You didn't let me finish! When I said I don't want to be your friend anymore, I wasn't throwing you out of my life. Quite the opposite." She said. Sheldon opened his eyes again, she gasped as she saw they were watery.

"Don't cry Sheldon. Not over me. You haven't lost me." She whispered.

"I don't understand. I haven't lost you, but you don't want to be my friend?" he asked. Penny sighed.

"You know how you sometimes have friends who are girls but aren't your girlfriend?" asked Penny. Sheldon yawned as he fought against the tiredness from not sleeping the previous four days and nodded.

"I would like to alter that a little." She whispered.

"How so?" he asked. His eyes closed again.

"I would like to be your friend who is a girl…and IS your girlfriend." Said Penny. She blushed and looked at the floor now, a little embarrassed at having made her confession and put herself out there. There was a pause and he didn't say anything. She looked up.

"Sheldon, tell me you're not asleep. Sheldon? Sheldon! Oh god damnit!" she whispered frustrated. He'd fallen asleep without hearing what she'd said. She looked at him for a moment.

"What happened to you my little Homo Novus?" she whispered brushing her lips against the side of his cheek. She pulled herself away from him and headed out to her apartment. She sank into the couch and sighed. She couldn't believe that Sheldon Cooper had feelings for her. That those feelings had tortured him so much to be the cause of such stress for him. More to the point, she couldn't believe what she'd just told him, despite him not hearing it, and finally, she couldn't believe how much she longed to be cuddled up in his arms right now. Several hours passed and it was now fast approaching morning. Penny was still wide awake, lost in her thoughts, when she was brought to by the familiar knock.

*knock knock knock* Penny!

*knock knock knock* Penny!

*knock knock knock* Penny!

She sprinted to her feet and ran to the door swinging it open.

"Sweetie are you OK?" she asked observing him just standing there.

"Did you mean it?" he asked simply.

"Mean what?" she asked.

"That you wanted to be my friend who is a girl and IS my girlfriend?" he asked. Penny let out a deep breath.

"I didn't think you'd heard that." She said.

"I take it you didn't mean it." He whispered softly. His head dropped.

"Sheldon, have you slept enough to feel better?" she asked. Sheldon nodded slightly.

"Good. Because I want a kiss from my boyfriend." She said firmly. Sheldon lifted his head, his eyebrows raised.

"You have to promise me something Sheldon. Don't you EVER put yourself through that because of me ever again. You talk to me. You share with me. You tell me anything you need to." Said Penny.

"I was frightened I would lose you if I told you. Things got worse and worse, I couldn't sleep, and I…" Sheldon trailed off, his emotions showing.

"You don't have to hide your emotions from me Sheldon. So where are we on that kiss?" she asked with a smile. Sheldon looked at her.

"It appears I was wrong." He whispered.

"What about?" she asked.

"I thought the greatest thing I would hear would be my name called out at a Nobel Prize event. But hearing you say that far surpasses that." He whispered.

"A Nobel Prize is a lot to live up to Sheldon. And I'm still waiting for my kiss." Said Penny. Sheldon needed no more encouragement, and stepped forward, caressing her face in his hands.

"Do you need to use a wipe?" she asked with a smile.

"Stop talking." He ordered firmly gazing into her eyes.

"Yes Sir." she grinned.

"Call me Doctor Cooper." He replied leaning in for their first proper kiss. When he finally pulled back she let out an unsteady breath.

"Whatever you say…Doctor Cooper." She whispered.

"Thank you for saving me from myself." He whispered.

"That's what a girlfriend is for." She smiled resting her hand on his chest.

"You weren't my girlfriend at the time. You didn't need to do what you did. Thank you for not giving up on me." He whispered.

"Sheldon, I will never give up on you. Now that we've found each other…I'm never letting you go." She whispered pulling him into their second kiss as a couple.


End file.
